Apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into stacks

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks is disclosed wherein a pair of shafts are mounted along a rollerway at both sides thereof, the shafts being synchronously rotatable in opposite directions and non-rotatably carrying thereon S-shaped levers. A retaining mechanism is adapted to arrest these levers in two positions: in the first position the arms of the levers are brought together above the rollerway to support thereon a stack of piles; in the second position the levers are spread apart to clear from below the stack that has been supported thereon, whereby the stack is lowered upon the rollerway.

United States Patent [191 Anikanov et al.

[451 Aug. 27, 1974 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING INDIVIDUAL PILES OF PRINTED MATTER INTO STACKS [76] Inventors: Nikolai Ivanovich Anikanov,

Bolshaya Bronnaya ulitsa, 2/6 kv. 6; Leonid Pavlovich Grachev, ulitsa Serafimovicha, 2, kv. 181, both of Moscow; Samuil Aronovich Goltsman, Borschagovskaya ulitsa, 8, kv. 12, Kiev; Grigory Iosifovich Zax, ulitsa Mechnikova, 14a, kv. 24, Kiev; Alexandr Ivanovich Oleinik, ulitsa Mechnikova, 11, kv. 14, Kiev; Grigory Avramovich Radutsky, 16 Parkovaya ulitsa, 49, korpus 2, kv. 68, Moscow; Kheifets, Brest-Litovsky prospekt, 162, kv. 30; Evgeny Arkadievich Baburin, prospekt Romena Rollana, 25, kv. 264, both of Kiev, all of USSR.

[22] Filed: Mar. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 343,163

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 19, I972 U.S.S.R 1811463 [52] US. Cl 214/6 BA, 198/35 [51] Int. Cl, B65g 57/30 [58] Field of Search 214/6 BA, 7; 198/35; 93/93 R, 93 A, 93 C, 93 DP [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,568,860 3/1971 Rawlins 214/6 BA FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 903,991 8/1962 Great Britain 214/6 BA Primary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks is disclosed wherein a pair of shafts are mounted along a rollerway at both sides thereof, the shafts being synchronously rotatable in opposite directions and non-rotatably carrying thereon S-shaped levers. A retaining mechanism is adapted to arrest these levers in two positions: in the first position the arms of the levers are brought together above the rollerway to support thereon a stack of piles; in the second position the levers are spread apart to clear from below the stack that has been supported thereon, whereby the stack is lowered upon the rollerwayQ 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATEN'I'UJ AUGE mm SHEU 2 OF 3 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING INDIVIDUAL PILES OF PRINTED MATTER INTO STACKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to an apparatus for handling printed matter, and, more particularly, it relates to apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks.

The present invention can be used to utmost advantage for assembling piles of newspapers or magazines into multi-pile stacks.

At present, there is known an apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into stacks, comprising a rollerway adapted to advance successive piles of printed matter and a pair of shafts arranged longitudinally of the rollerway at the respective opposite sides thereof, the shafts non-rotatably supporting thereon respective levers which are synchronously rotatable by these shafts in opposite directions. When the shafts are rotated, the levers pass through the spaces between the end portions of the adjacent pairs of the rollers of the rollerway, to underlie a pile advanced by the rollerway. The length of the arms of these levers is nearly equal to the spacing between the shafts. When the pile is lifted above the rollerway, the arms of these levers extend in parallel planes and cross one another, practically spanning the spacing between the shafts. In this way the flexible pile is supported along the entire length thereof and cannotfail onto the rollerway.

In the known apparatus the levers are curved as arcs of a circle; they are pivotally mounted on the respective shafts and are connected therewith through spring means. With the levers being of this structure, the levers are apt to vibrate when the shafts are rotated, which affects the quality of a stack being assembled and hampers the operation of the apparatus, as a whole. 4

When an assembled stack is transferred onto the rollerway, the levers carried on both shafts are spread apart, which necessitates incorporation of an additional drive, which increases the cost of the apparatus and renders it more bulky.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to create an apparatus in which the levers will be of a structure preventing vibration of the levers in operation, which will step up the quality of stacks assembled from piles of printed matter and which will facilitate the operation of the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to create an apparatus which will enable lowering of a stack assembled from piles onto the rollerway without any additional drive which will reduce the cost of the apparatus, as well as its size and which will simplify the control of the apparatus.

These and other objects are attained in an apparatus for assembling individual piles of printed matter into stacks, comprising a rollerway adapted to advance pile of printed matter therealong and a pair of shafts arranged at the opposite sides of the rollerway, longitudinally thereof, the shafts carrying thereon respective levers which are adapted to rotate synchronously in opposite directions, the levers having a length that is nearly equal to the spacing between the shafts, the levers being adapted to pass through the spaces between the respective adjacent pairs of the rollers of the rollerway, the levers being further adapted to raise the piles of printed matter above the rollerway and to lower stacks of the piles, supported thereon, onto a pile that has been advanced by the rollerway, in which apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, the levers are S-shaped and are mounted rigidly by the respective central portions thereof on the shafts for joint rotation therewith, so that when the shafts are rotated in operation, the ball-like arms of the S-shaped levers, projecting above the rollerway, are rotated in opposite directions, lifting a pile of printed matter thereon and supporting the pile above the rollerway, whereafter the arms are spread apart to lower the stack of piles assembled thereon onto a new pile that has been advanced by the rollerway to underlie the levers, the apparatus further comprising a retaining mechanism adapted to arrest the levers in a position where they are brought together above the rollerway, so that the levers will support thereon the stack, the mechanism being further adapted to arrest the levers in another position where they are spread apart above the rollerway, so that the arms of the levers will be able to clear the stack from below.

The above-specified apparatus has a simplified structure, features increased reliability of its performance and offers high-quality assembling of piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks.

In order to ensure arresting of the levers in the two above-said positions, the retaining mechanism preferably includes a single-revolution clutch mounted on an intermediate shaft and controllable stops extending in a common vertical plane and anglularly displaced from each other, for arresting the levers mounted on the shaftsin the respective positions, the intermediate shaft being operatively connected to the shafts carrying the levers through a gear train.

In order to reduce the inertia of the shaft carrying the levers, the controllable stops are shaped each as a double-prong fork.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the present invention to be better understood, there follows hereinbelow a detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference being had to the accompanying set of drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general view of an apparatus, constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1, when a pile is introduced intermediate of the two levers, to be assembled with the pile already supported by the levers;

FIG. 3 is the same view, as that shown in FIG. 2, when the piles are being assembled;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along arrow line A in FIG. 1, when an assembled stack is transferred onto the rollerway, the levers clearing the stack from below;

FIG. 5 shows in more detail the area 1 in FIG. I, i.e., the retaining mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5', and

FIG, 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII- -VII of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in particular to the appended drawings, the apparatus embodying the invention comprises a rollerway 1 (FIGS. 1 to 4) with a plurality of rollers 2 which are arranged so that spaces 3 are left between the end portions of the adjacent pairs of these rollers 2. The rollers 2 are rotatable in operation by a moving driving chain 4 engaging sprockets 5 mounted on the shafts 6 of the respective rollers 2 and also sprockets 7 and 8 mounted on the framework 9 of the apparatus. The sprocket8 is connected through a bevel gear couple 10, a chain transmission 11 and a reducer 12 to a driving motor 13.

Mounted at the opposite sides of the rollerway 1, Iongitudinally thereof, are two shafts 14 rotatable synchronously in opposite directions and non-rotatably carrying thereon a plurality of respective S-shaped levers 15 adapted to pass through the spaces 3 intermediate of the rollers 2. Synchronous rotation of the shafts 14 is effected through a gear train including respective gears 16 mounted on the shafts 14, a gear 17 mounted on the same axis with a sprocket connected through a chain transmission 19 and the reducer 12 to the driving motor 13, the gear train further including an idle gear 20 mounted on an axis 21 journaled in the framework 9 of the apparatus. The sprocket 18 (FIG. 5) is made integral with a single-revolution clutch 22 associated with stops 23 and 24 controllable, respectively, by electromagnets 25 and 26, the stops being selectively introduced into the path of the travel of the pawl 27 (FIG. 5) of the single-revolution clutch, the clutch and the stops making up together a retaining mechanism adapted to arrest the shafts 14 carrying the levers 15 in two positions, of which one corresponds to rotation of the shafts 14 through 180 for assembling piles 28 (FIG. 2) into a stack 29, and the other corresponds to rotation of the shafts 14 through an angle sufficient for the levers 15 to clear the stack from below.

The stops 23 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and 24 extend in a common vertical plane and are angularly displaced relative to each other, each one of the stops being in the form of a double-prong fork of which the prongs 30 and 31 are arranged in a common plane. Piles 28 (FIG. 1) supplied toward the herein disclosed apparatus by a supply rollerway 32 are assembled into stacks 29 intermediate of walls 33 mounted on the framework 9, the walls 33 having slits 34 for the passage of the respective ones of the levers 15. Initial positioning of a pile 28 of printed matter on a rollerway 1, prior to actuation of the levers 15, is determined by a stop 35 (FIG. 4) mounted on a pivot axis 36 supported by the framework 9 in one of the spaces 3 between the rollers 2, the stop 35 being pivotable to overlie a delivery rollerway 37 (FIG. 1), releasing an assembled stack 29 (FIG. 4). The stop 35 is actuated by an electromagnet 38 connected to the stop 35 through a link 39.

The herein disclosed apparatus operates, as follows.

Prior to actuation of the herein disclosed apparatus, the shafts 14 are retained in either one of their two angular positions in which a pile 28 is able to pass therebetween along the rollerway l. The stop 35 is in its raised position. In this position of the apparatus the respective drives of the rollerway 1, of the supply rollerway 32 and of the delivery rollerway 37 are energized.

The rollerway 32 supplies successive piles 28 of printed matter into the assembling zone between the levers 15. When a pile supplied into this zone engages the stop 35, a pickup device (not shown) of any appropriate structure reacts and sends a command to energize the two electromagnets 25 and 26, whereby the latter retract their respective stops 23 and 24, which brings about engagement of the single-revolution clutch 22, the latter transmitting rotation through the gears l6, l7 and 20 to the shafts 14 with their respective levers 15 from the motor 13.

Let us presume that when the levers 15 are in the above-specified initial position, the pawl 27 thrusts against one of the prongs 30 of the stop 23. Then the electromagnets 25 and 26 would become de-energized only after the pawl 27 of the clutch 22 has passed the area of that one of the prongs 31 of the stop 24, which is disposed closer to the path of its travel, and has engaged the second prong 30 of the stop 23, opposite to the above-mentioned prong 30 against which the pawl had been thrusting prior to the energization of the electromagnets 25 and 26, which means that the pawl has been rotated through Simultaneously, the levers 15 are also rotated through 180 and lift on their respective bail-shaped arms the first pile 28 of printed matter, in which position they are arrested.

When the next pile is advanced into the assembling zone, the above-described operating cycle is repeated, the levers 18 being rotated once more through 180,during which rotation the pile lying on the said bail-shaped arms of the levers 15 is first lowered upon the pile 28 supported on the rollerway 1, whereafter the two assembled piles are lifted together, clearing the entrance into the assembling zone.

When the last pile of the stack to be assembled is advanced into the assembling zone, the program control device (not shown) sends a command to energize only the electromagnet 25 to retract the stop 23. In this case the clutch 22 is engaged for a period ending with the pawl 27 engaging one of the prongs 31 (FIG. 6) of the stop 24, where by the shafts 14 carrying the levers 15 are rotated only through an angle sufficient for the levers to clear from below the stack (29) they have been supporting, the stack 29 lowering upon this last pile 28.

Then the same program control device sends a command to energize the electromagnet 38 which pivots the stop 35 into its open position, and the assembled stack 29 is released to be advanced onto the delivery rollerway 37.

This done, the stop 35 is returned into its initial raised position, and the apparatus is prepared for the next sequence of operations.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for assembling piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks, said apparatus comprising: a rollerway adapted to advance said piles therealong and including a plurality of rollers mounted so that spaces are left between adjacent pairs of said rollers; two shafts arranged at the opposite sides of said rollerway longitudinally thereof and adapted for synchronous rotation in opposite directions; a plurality of S-shaped levers having the length of their bail-shaped arms nearly equal to the spacing between said shafts, said levers being mounted fixedly by the respective central portions thereof on the respective ones of said shafts for rotating jointly therewith, so that when said shafts are rotated in operation, the respective bail-shaped arms of said levers projecting through said spaces between said adjacent pairs of rollers are adapted to lift a pile of printed matter thereon and support it above said rollerway, whereafter said arms are spread apart to lower a stack of said piles, which said arms have been supporting, onto a new pile advanced by said rollerway to underlie said levers; and retaining means for arresting said levers in a position where said arms thereof are brought together above said rollerway to support a stack of piles thereon, said retaining means being further capable of arresting said levers in another position where said arms of said levers are spread apart above said rollerway to be sufficient for said arms of said levers to clear nected with said shafts carrying :said levers through a gear train.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each one of said controllable stops is made in the form of a double-prong fork. 

1. An apparatus for assembling piles of printed matter into multi-pile stacks, said apparatus comprising: a rollerway adapted to advance said piles therealong and including a plurality of rollers mounted so that spaces are left between adjacent pairs of said rollers; two shafts arranged at the opposite sides of said rollerway longitudinally thereof and adapted for synchronous rotation in opposite directions; a plurality of S-shaped levers having the length of their bail-shaped arms nearly equal to the spacing between said shafts, said levers being mounted fixedly by the respective central portions thereof on the respective ones of said shafts for rotating jointly therewith, so that when said shafts are rotated in operation, the respective bail-shaped arms of said levers projecting through said spaces between said adjacent pairs of rollers are adapted to lift a pile of printed matter thereon and support it above said rollerway, whereafter said arms are spread apart to lower a stack of said piles, which said arms have been supporting, onto a new pile advanced by said rollerway to underlie said levers; and retaining means for arresting said levers in a position where said arms thereof are brought together above said rollerway to support a stack of piles thereon, said retaining means being further capable of arresting said levers in another position where said arms of said levers are spread apart above said rollerway to be sufficient for said arms of said levers to clear said stack from below.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining means includes a single-revolution clutch mounted on an intermediate shaft and a pair of controllable stops extending in a common vertical plane and angularly displaced relative to each other, said stops being adapteD to effect arresting of said levers mounted on said shafts in the respective ones of said two positions, said intermediate shaft being operatively connected with said shafts carrying said levers through a gear train.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each one of said controllable stops is made in the form of a double-prong fork. 